Reciprocity
by Del'Mareve
Summary: “Both. I’ll take you to Kalm, and in exchange you’ll go out on date with me. Twice.” Rufus said coolly, crossing the length of the room to stand at the foot of the bed. Yuffie blinked. “Agreed?”
1. Bleeding Love

**Reciprocity**

**rec·i·proc·i·ty** [rèssə próssətee]  
(plural rec·i·proc·i·ties)  
n  
**1.** relationship involving mutual exchange: a relationship between people involving the exchange of goods, services, favors, or obligations, especially a mutual exchange of privileges between trading nations or recognition of licenses between states

**2.** reciprocal relationship or act: something done mutually or in return

**3.** A Yuffie/Vincent/Rufus love triangle. Whoa.

**_Author's Note:_** Hello everyone! This is my first shot at a Final Fantasy 7 story, but I've been a fan of the game for…psh…twelve years? (Has it really been that long? LOL!) Vincent and Yuffie have remained my all-time favorite characters even when the game first came out in '97, so it would only make sense that I'd write about them. As for why I'm so darn late, I can only say that I've never had the nerve to write anything Final Fantasy related…I always kind of thought I'd suck. I still _might_, but hey, you never know until you try. I'd appreciate any and all comments, reviews and tips, especially on how Vincent and Yuffie's personalities are coming along. And, despite the angst in this first chapter, this probably will be a Vincent/Yuffie story. Or maybe it'll be a Rufus/Yuffie story (Did I mention I liked Rufus too? No? Well, he's going to be joining the fracas soon). Anyway. My notes are never this long, but I had a lot to say this time. O_O Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter One: Bleeding Love**

Darkness embraced the tainted man and the young, trembling girl lovingly, wrapping them in a myriad of shadows that varied from softest grey, to sloe and pitch-black. The night was moonless and cold, silent and ominous. The wind howled like a demon awakened, stirring up fitful clouds of dust and disturbing the clothes that the man and girl wore to cover and protect their bodies. The heavens above were littered with stars, shining like diamonds against a void-like canvas. All around there was silence, a silence so deep and final that it defied noise of even the smallest, most unobtrusive kind. Even so, noise WAS being made, by a bony slip of a girl of all people, and it came in the form of the hot, gasping breaths she took.

Yuffie Kisaragi was fighting desperately to hold back tears, and wishing, _hopelessly_, that she could take back the last five minutes of her life. She didn't know what had possessed her to utter those words, but now that she _had_, the weight of them seemed poised to crush her. This wasn't at all like how she'd imagined; Yuffie had always thought that a feeling of relief accompanied an admission as heartfelt and meaningful as this. All she felt now was horror, embarrassment, and a strange sort of guilt as Vincent Valentine stared coldly down at her, his body stiff and his ruby-red eyes expressionless.

Yuffie's heart was beating so hard, it was a wonder the sound of it didn't echo off the cliffs. Her face felt as if an inferno had been ignited just beneath her skin, and she was sure that if it had been daylight out, the blush on her face would have looked like an awful case of sunburn. Yuffie could feel Vincent's gaze, heavy as a ton of bricks, resting on the top of her lowered head, but she…couldn't…she refused to look into his eyes; she didn't want to see the boredom, anger or revulsion that must surely be shining in those beautiful crimson depths.

Yuffie wanted to die.

The silence droned on and on. Vincent refused to speak, refused to move, refused to offer her any kind of sign. Yuffie realized, with the wings of panic fluttering in her chest, that she was the one who had started this. She would have to finish it. Yuffie briefly considered letting out an idiotic laugh, slapping Vincent on the arm, and marching on toward Cosmo Canyon like nothing had ever happened. Her mind told her that it was the best thing to do, probably the _only _way she could get out of this with a shred of self-respect. Even as the thought occurred to her, Yuffie knew it wasn't possible. She was many things, but a coward wasn't one of them.

Besides, what she had said…it was the truth. The honest-to-God truth.

Yuffie raised her head slowly, and looked Vincent in the face, drinking in his allure even as she shrank away from his possible reaction. Two years ago, he'd been just a red-eyed weirdo, who had bored her to death with his melancholy tales of lost love and un-absolved sin. What a silly _child _she had been. Yuffie knew Vincent well enough now to know that he was a broken man, a lonely man, a man that blamed himself for far too many things. Even so, Vincent was also an _honorable _man, a _fair _man, a _loyal _man…and an _incredible _man.

Yuffie wished she could reach up and touch him, run her hands through his long, raven black hair, use the tips of her fingers to trace the outline his mouth. She dared not. Yuffie had been a tomboy all her life. She used to roll her eyes and gag at the concept of girly, giggly crushes and agonized love. Even now, the tomboy in her was rebelling against the tide of feelings threatening to take her under. The woman residing deep in her soul, however, the softness that Yuffie had hidden for so long under a veneer of mischievousness and brash talk, had overtaken the tomboy. She wanted so badly to touch Vincent.

Still, she dared not.

"I love you." Yuffie said suddenly, surprised by the steadiness of her voice. Gawd, she was a wreck!

"I heard you the first time." Vincent deadpanned.

"Well?" Yuffie said, narrowing her eyes at him, feeling a mixture of nervousness and annoyance. Vincent was impossible, sometimes. Here she was, baring her soul, and the jerk didn't even have enough sense to give her a decent reaction. Right about now, Yuffie would have settled for a belch.

Vincent stared at her for a moment, then with the air of one who has had enough, turned and began walking away. Yuffie's mouth dropped open, and she watched his retreating form with glassy eyes and a dumbstruck expression. Oh, and a breaking heart. He couldn't…he just couldn't…

"You're just…going to walk away?" Yuffie whispered, hating the weakness in her voice. Her question was so soft that a normal man might not have heard, but Vincent _wasn't _a normal man, so Yuffie knew he did.

No reply. Vincent just kept walking, heading for the bright cluster of lights that was Cosmo Canyon.

Yuffie stood rooted in place, her body cold, her mind in a whirl of rejection and agony. After all that, Vincent hadn't even bothered to acknowledge her. Like she was nothing. Like she was _less _than nothing.

Pain flared in her heart, and tears stung her eyes, turning the world into a hazy blur. A voice, as dark and cruel as an imps, began mocking her.

_See? Stupid bitch. You waited all this time to tell him how you felt, and look what happened. He doesn't love you. He doesn't even like you. You're just an ugly, stupid little bitch…_

"No!" Yuffie suddenly snarled, the vehemence in her voice genuinely scaring her. As usual whenever Yuffie was deeply hurt, she became angry. The rage that fanned in her now was deep and terrible. Yuffie surged forward, deliberately stepping in front of Vincent, impeding his progress. Tears were coursing freely down her cheeks, and while Yuffie absolutely hated to cry, she simply didn't give a damn at the moment. Yuffie raised a hand and began poking Vincent viciously in the chest with each word she spoke, as if her pokes would help to drive the point home.

"I said I love you, you insensitive bastard!" Yuffie cried, her small body trembling. "Say something!"

Silence. Silence and ruby-red eyes gazing impassively down at her.

"_Say _something!" Yuffie screeched, her anger and pain making her forget who it was she was dealing with. "Are you such a fucking jerk that you can't at least _humor _me? I just said I _love _you…I never loved _anyone _before…and…it was hardest thing I ever had to do…and…you're a bastard for just walking away like…my feelings are shit. Damn you Vincent…say something…please…"

"What am I supposed to say, Yuffie?" Vincent asked coldly, brushing her hand away from his chest. "What exactly do you want me to say?"

Yuffie looked up at him, tears running from her eyes and dripping slowly off her chin, silenced by Vincent's callousness. _Say you love me, too. _

"Would you like me to reciprocate your feelings? Confess my love for you?" Vincent continued in his deep, daunting voice, a voice that would have been monotone except for the obvious current of anger in it.

_Yes. Is it too much to ask that someone love me? Or maybe even just LIKE me? Is that too goddamn much? _Yuffie thought, but her lips remained glued shut, her eyes locked on Vincent face.

"What would you have me do, Yuffie? What do you _want _from me? A kiss? A date at the Gold Saucer? Do you want me to make love to you?" Vincent asked, his questions piercing like bullets from the Death Penalty. "That's not going to happen."

Yuffie stared up at him a moment longer, before she slowly lowered her head. Her heart was smashed and bleeding, crying out for mercy, unable to _take _anymore, but like the masochist she was, Yuffie just kept persisting in her punishment. "…Why?"

Vincent scoffed. "That's a ridiculous question. You know the reason just as well as I do."

"No, I don't."

Vincent's eyes narrowed, becoming intensified beams of red luminescence. The silence blanketed them like a sheet of snow. Freezing. Yuffie kept her head down, studying the patch of dirt between her bright yellow sneakers. She didn't think she would ever hold her head high again. Vincent let the silence spin out for so long that Yuffie thought their conversation was over and done with. When he finally spoke, her body jerked in surprise.

"I'm a monster, Yuffie." Vincent said slowly, his deep voice soft and calm, all the anger gone.

"You're not a monster, Vinnie!" Yuffie cried emphatically, tentatively raising her eyes and peeking up at Vincent. "Why do you say things like that?"

"I say it because it's true." Vincent replied simply. "I'm a monster. I've always been a monster. I'm not worthy of your love, if that's what it is. I can't return your love. Furthermore, I don't think you even really understand what _love _is. Stop wasting my time with your nonsense, Yuffie."

With that, Vincent brushed past her, and Yuffie didn't move to stop him. She didn't feel pain or anger or rejection, only an incredible sense of loss, a gaping emptiness in her soul. The red cliffs surrounding them stood silent witness, but just like the heavens above, they offered no comfort, no solace. She was just a silly girl, unworthy of anyone's attention.

"Yuffie. Are you coming?" Vincent demanded, irritation making his normally dulcet voice harsh.

Yuffie stared blandly at him. "…Go to hell, Vinnie."

"Suit yourself." Vincent replied, completely composed. He turned away from her and just kept walking. Yuffie watched him leave, abandoning her in the dead of night and all alone, like she was a bag of dog turds. Yuffie watched until she could no longer see him, until Vincent was swallowed up in the deepening darkness.

"I _did _love you, Vincent." Yuffie whispered brokenly, fresh tears running down her face. "I loved you, you stupid jerk. How _dare_ you tell me I don't know what love is?"

A sob tore it's way from her throat, then another. Yuffie turned away from Cosmo Canyon and began heading in the opposite direction, not knowing where she was going, only knowing that she had to put as much distance between herself and the red-eyed man as humanly possible. She staggered drunkenly across the landscape, her heart in a vise of pain. This HAD to be the absolute worst night of her life.

Hidden in the shadows, a pair of hungry, inhuman eyes watched Yuffie stumble away, before following stealthily, fangs dripping with salvia at the thought of warm, fresh meat.

_Meat. _


	2. Scarlet Fangs

**Chapter Two: Scarlet Fangs**

A handmade quilt covered the room's large bed. Three big, fluffy pillows rested on the quilt's pristine surface, stark white contrasting sharply with the bright, cheerful squares of color. A nightstand sat beside the bed, bare except for an old-fashioned lamp and an innocuous pad of blank writing paper. Two heavy wooden dressers occupied much of the space in the room, one pushed against the far wall, the other opposite the bed. Both empty.

Posters had been pasted along the smooth stone walls of the room, casual substitutes for actual paintings. _Stop on by Turtle's Paradise!_ read one, complete with a fanciful rendering of Wutai's most famous pub. An illustration of a striking woman and an unbelievably handsome man locked in a passionate embrace graced the shiny surface of another poster. The word beneath the image seemed rather misleading; LOVELESS. Bold red letters. To finish off the room's already ridiculous look, someone had seen fit to place a thick, shaggy, puke-green rug on the floor. To Vincent, it looked more like a patch of wild grass than decent floor covering. If Yuffie had been here however, she probably would have thought it was spiffy.

Yuffie.

An ache blossomed in what felt suspiciously like his heart, but…that couldn't be right. Vincent didn't _have _a heart. Lucrecia had taken that part of him down into the grave with her.

_I love you, Vinnie. _

Vincent strode over to the nightstand, dark and silent as a shadow, and turned on the lamp. The room seemed to glare at him in the artificial light, all garish colors and tasteless decorations. The _Shildra Inn_ was famous for its kitschy hospitality, but Vincent would have preferred sleeping in a doghouse to _this _ludicrous display. Vincent used the lamp's dimmer switch to tone down the brightness, until the room receded into soft, comforting shadow. After this, Vincent simply stood by the bed, at a loss.

Silence, now. Silence and feelings as bothersome and persistent as flies.

_I love you, Vinnie. _

What had possessed Yuffie to say such a thing to him? Vincent would have sworn she was joking, if it hadn't been for the utter seriousness in her normally playful voice. It seemed that no matter how long he traveled with Yuffie, she never failed to surprise him.

Two years ago, she had been a rather simple girl, with a smile that was too big for her face and a body as shapeless as a broom handle. She had joined AVALANCHE with the sole purpose of stealing their precious Materia, but in the end, had proved herself to be an invaluable ally. When AVALANCHE separated after Sephiroth's defeat at North Crater, Yuffie went back Wutai, but she hadn't stayed. Vincent became a wanderer, a restless soul drifting around the world with no home to return to or any particular goal in mind. For a while, he had considered going back Nibelheim, returning to the basement and his eternal sleep…but…the prospect of crawling back into that coffin had twisted his gut. Much had changed during his thirty-year absence from the world, and there was still much he wanted to see.

Besides, Vincent's sins wouldn't be absolved by lying on his back, now would they?

Six months ago, he'd run into Yuffie, at Costa Del Sol of all possible places. Vincent hadn't recognized her at first. She had let her hair grow out, and the smooth chocolate-brown locks stopped just short of her shoulder blades. Her previous bony figure had changed slightly, slim curves, but she would always be petite. She was wearing a white, midriff baring tank top, black short shorts, red and yellow slouch socks and bright yellow sneakers. Yuffie clothes. The ridiculous-looking gauntlet that had shielded her left arm had been replaced with typical ninja-mail mesh and simple leather wristlets. She still wore her bandanna, but had changed the color from green to black.

Vincent realized who it was from the noise she was making. Yuffie had been screaming her head off, loudly accusing the arms dealer of 'ripping her off'. She had gathered a small crowd around her, citizens who had abandoned the beaches and bars to see the small girl with the incredibly loud voice. Yuffie noticed Vincent standing at the edge of the crowd immediately, but she didn't let his sudden appearance distract her. In fact, in usual Yuffie fashion, she seized a golden opportunity.

"_You see that man over there? That's MY boyfriend, and he's not gonna be happy to learn that you're charging up the ass for Hi-Potions! Now, are you going to lower the price, or do things have to get ugly?" _

They got the Hi-Potions for free that day.

Yuffie insisted on traveling with him, to 'keep him company'. Vincent was highly resistant to this at first, but she wouldn't accept 'No' for an answer. Her whining and begging became his constant background noise. Vincent finally relented, partly so she would _shut up_, partly because he realized that he needed some company (Though Vincent would never admit this to Yuffie!) and partly because he sensed something in the brash young ninja…a kind of…_desperation_. She never told him why she hadn't stayed in Wutai, artfully changing the subject whenever he asked. Even so, Vincent could perceive a deep loneliness in Yuffie, akin to his own, though carefully hidden under her cocky, tomboyish personality. She never said anything, but Vincent got the impression that Yuffie wasn't going back to Wutai. _Ever_. It was a strange, but undeniable feeling. So, Vincent had allowed her to travel with him, much to Yuffie's joy. They got weird looks from people wherever they went, which was understandable.

A tall, grim-faced, red-eyed gunslinger and a petite, vivacious ninja made quite the pair walking down the street.

Vincent never made any plans; he went where his head and gut dictated. He thought Yuffie would get tired of such pointless wandering, but she never did. In fact, she seemed to treat her time with him as some sort of grand adventure, made special because it was just the two of them. She used to say that Cloud and the others would be so jealous if they could see them now, traveling the world instead of getting married and settling down and whatnot, like how the rest of AVALANCHE seemed intent on doing. Yuffie was happy just being around him, which Vincent found absolutely unfathomable. Why would _anyone _want to be around him, with his morbid outlook and disturbing presence? How, for that matter, could _anyone _find happiness in his presence, such that they would give up a life of ease and comfort to drift like gypsies and vagabonds?

Yuffie, that's who.

Vincent closed his eyes with a confused shake of his head. Yuffie…she had really scared him tonight. Her conviction, the passion with which she had spoke, had threatened to tear down the lovingly constructed barbed-wire fences surrounding his emotions. Vincent had spent the past thirty years convincing himself that he was a monster incapable of love, incapable of _being _loved. For a few terrifying seconds after Yuffie's pained admission, Vincent had felt…happiness? No, not quite. 'Happiness' was too mild of a word to describe the electrifying shock, followed by a joy that had made his knees weak. For a few seconds, Vincent had been a human man, starved for love and kindness, and rocked to his very core at the thought that a girl as light-hearted as Yuffie could find it in herself to fall in love with him.

Then, rationality kicked in, and his barbed-wire fences climbed higher. There was absolutely, positively, _no way _Yuffie could love him. Vincent was an abomination. Furthermore, how could a girl like her really know what love was? Yuffie had developed an infatuation with him perhaps, during the six months that they had been traveling together, and she had merely confused it for love. Vincent had certainly never been affectionate toward her, or acted anything but polite. Occasionally, he was deeply aloof and even downright rude when she worked a particular nerve long enough. So…there was just no way. It was impossible.

_And even, just by chance, her feelings are genuine, it would all be in vain. I can't give myself to her in any form or fashion. I'm three times her age. It would be…_

"…Wrong." Vincent finished out loud, opening his eyes, his deep voice filling the silence in the room. Perhaps it was best that things had ended this way. After all, how long was Yuffie going to continue following him around? Now, she had no choice but to figure out what she was going to do with her life. Yuffie was young. Eventually, she would get over any hurt he had dealt her. She deserved to find a man who would love her completely, without the excess baggage hanging off his soul like Vincent. She deserved a man who didn't have blood on his hands. When she was all grown up, and married with children of her own, she would look back on this night and wonder what the hell she'd been thinking.

The ache in Vincent's nonexistent heart deepened at the thought of never seeing Yuffie again, but he pushed it away stubbornly. Why was he wasting so much time thinking about this? The answer was simple: He had refused Yuffie because he didn't love her.

Right?

…Right?

Vincent shook his head violently, raven locks slapping his face. There was no way in Hell he was going down that hazardous mental road. He _didn't _have a heart, he _didn't _have feelings, and Yuffie was just a _silly _little girl. Case _closed_.

Vincent gazed down the at the bed, knowing that it was late and he should get some sleep. He had become so used to having Yuffie around that it was going to take some time becoming reacquainted with the entity known as Silence. Vincent sighed and sat down hard on the bed, and as soon as he did, something sharp poked him in the side.

Vincent jumped up with a grunt of pain, his clawed hand grabbing at his side. Metal clashed on metal, and Vincent looked down, his eyes widening and his body growing cold.

Yuffie's weapon, the mighty shuriken _Conformer_, glittered coldly in the darkness.

Yuffie had given it to him to carry earlier that day, complaining that her arms were tired.

Vincent had taken it grudgingly, tired of hearing her griping, and clipped it to his side.

He had completely forgotten about the damn thing, and now Yuffie was alone and completely unarmed, in the dead of night.

Anger gripped Vincent, anger for himself and for Yuffie, who had stirred up parts of his soul better left undisturbed. Sleep forgotten, Vincent snatched open the door to his room and slammed it shut on his way out.

_

* * *

_

_Vincent has my Conformer. _

The thought occurred to Yuffie belatedly, followed by a string of vivid swears thrown carelessly into the night. She had given it to Vincent to hang on to earlier that day, and like the _moron _she was, had forgotten to get it back from him. All her Materia had been in her weapon, and she was only wearing a measly Bolt Armlet for protection. In her pack were a few Hi-Potions that she had purchased back in Corel, but other than that, she had nothing.

_Yep. This is most definitely THE worst night of my life. _

Yuffie stopped suddenly, shivering and exhausted. She had walked without stopping for hours, eventually coming upon a forest as dark as threatening as the pits of Hell. She had no real idea where she was, but she guessed from the greenery and the smell of water that she was in the woodlands close to Gongaga Village, where the Red River separated the grasslands from the canyons. Her tears had long since run dry, and her eyes felt itchy and tired. Her mind, which had previously been distracted with thoughts of Vincent, now turned to her well-being and safety. She was alone and unarmed in some cold, scary forest. If a monster decided to leap from the trees and attack her, she would be shit out of luck. Sure, she had her ninja skills, but without her shuriken or any Materia, those could only take her so far.

_I can't believe Vincent has my Conformer. Damn it. **Double** damn it. _

Yuffie let out a world-weary sigh and found a rock to sit on, it's surface cold and slick with moss. It was pointless to continue any further; in this forest and without the aid of sunlight, she would only become hopelessly lost. Besides, she was too tired to even consider taking one more step, and she had her Conformer to consider. Yuffie knew she would have to find Vincent and get her stuff back, but the thought of seeing him again caused an ice pick of dread to slip into her heart. Yuffie never, _ever _wanted to see Vincent again. It was just too painful.

_I should have kept my damn mouth shut. _

Yuffie felt tears rise to her eyes once more, but she bit her tongue to keep them from slipping down her cheeks. Gawd, she absolutely _hated _to cry. The only man she had ever loved had shattered her heart into a thousand dripping pieces and left her to fend for herself in the wilderness, but she was NOT going to cry, damn it!

Yuffie hugged herself, rocking gently back and forth. She would stay here for tonight and wait for morning, then backtrack to Cosmo Canyon and get her Conformer from Vincent. _Then _she would never have to see him again. Hopefully, she wouldn't be mauled by some wild animal before dawn broke.

_This hurts. This hurts so much. _

Yuffie felt of wave of self-pity blanket her senses, and she allowed it to happen, stifling the optimism of her soul. Loneliness opened its gaping maw to accept her, and she climbed in willingly. She couldn't go back home. She refused to go crawling to any of her friends, looking for handouts. Vincent had made it perfectly clear that he didn't want her around. What was she going to do? What _could _she do?

In spite of her resolve not to cry, a sob wormed its way out of Yuffie's throat. She was so preoccupied that she didn't notice the pair of cold, glittering eyes watching her from the thick, gnarled trees, hidden in the omnipresent darkness. The creature moved silently, it's stomach rumbling, claws razor sharp and built to tear flesh apart. Heavy panting gave away the creature's presence at the last second - Far too late to do Yuffie any good.

The ninja lifted her head sharply, her arms rippling with goose bumps, and saw a flash of hungry golden eyes and black fur out of the corner of her eye. Yuffie scrambled off the rock she was sitting on automatically, and something struck her left shoulder with incredible force, pivoting her body violently to the side.

Yuffie crashed onto the soggy forest floor, but was on her feet quickly, terror encasing her body and mind, halting all rational thought. The creature crouched in front of her, its muzzle lifted back in a killing snarl, a wolf mutated beyond what Nature had intended. A scream clawed at the back of Yuffie's throat, fighting to find release. She started to run, but the creature was on her, knocking her back down.

Yuffie lifted her arm in a futile bid to protect her face and neck, and the creature's jaws closed willingly around her exposed forearm. Fangs broke through tender skin and crunched on bone. Blood ran from Yuffie's arm in crimson rivulets, staining her face and shirt. The scream that had been residing in the back of her throat finally broke free, and the forest rang with the sound of Yuffie's agony and terror.

Yuffie lifted her good arm and began punching the creature in the face, but her struggles seemed to make not one whit of difference. The creature released her arm and dipped down to her exposed stomach, fangs opening up excruciating rivers of blood.

"VINCENT!!" Yuffie screamed, trying to fight, trying desperately to get away, knowing that it was hopeless. Why had Vincent left her? Why had he abandoned her? Did he really _hate _her so much?

_I hope you're happy, Vinnie. I really do. _

Darkness descended upon Yuffie's vision, and she knew she was close to losing consciousness. She raised her arm once again, and the creature bit down on it viciously, completely immobilizing her.

_I loved you Vincent…_

"_What the hell are you waiting for?! SHOOT IT!"_

"_Crap, I hate these #%&! things." _

Gunfire. A snarl of anger and pain. Yuffie felt the creature's weight shift, and suddenly it was gone. No longer on top of her, raping her with its fangs.

"_Tch. Want a piece of me, you mutated freak?" _

More gunfire.

A howl. Snarls. Human voices, raised in alarm. A huge shotgun blast, then silence. Blessed silence.

"_Too easy." _

"_Whatever. Let's go, Reno. The President is waiting." _

"_Yeah, yeah. Damn, loosen up a little, Elena."_

"_I'll loosen up when you…Oh my God…"_

"_What?" _

"_Reno…I think…I think you need to come see this."_

Silence. Someone touching her. Touching her neck.

"_I can't believe she's still breathing. Damn…you don't think…"_

"_That scream we heard earlier…?"_

"_She's hurt. Bad. We need to get her some medical attention, or I doubt this broad's gonna make it." _

"_Don't you have a Restore Materia?" _

"_No. You?" _

"_No."_

"_Why'd the hell a girl like this be out here all alone?"_

"_I don't know, Reno. Come on. Help me lift her up. Rude's waiting in the helicopter not too far away."_

Hands groping, lifting her gently. A feeling of weightlessness.

"_Don't worry, girl. We'll get you some help soon." _

Darkness, only darkness.

_I hope you're happy, Vincent._


	3. Mister President

**Chapter Three: Mister President **

He couldn't sleep, and after hours of gazing peevishly out the window, the rain began to fall.

No surprise there. It had been deeply overcast all day, turning what might have been a world full of bright sunshine into a dreary landscape of slate gray skies and bitterly cold breezes. The downpour came gently at first, soft and soothing, like a man coaxing his first-time lover into a more agreeable frame of mind. After a while, the storm worsened, and the rain that fell from the heavens was violent and torrential - Nature's equivalent of mounting passion. He watched the drops hit the spotless glass of his bedroom window and swirl blithely down into oblivion for what seemed like an eternity, before turning away and reaching for the bottle of expensive sherry resting comfortably on his desk. The ice in his waiting glass crackled and trembled as the amber-colored liquor submerged them. He waited. A white-hot arc of lightning flashed across the sky, and he took a sip, relishing in the taste, the _burn_. A second later, an ominous rumble of thunder shook the windowpane, and he drained his glass in one big gulp. Outside, the streets were empty and slick, dark except for the yellow spots of weak light provided by the lamp posts. Palm trees bent double in the wind, helpless victims. The travel brochures that touted Costa Del Sol as the _Land of Eternal Summer_ were dirty, lying whores, all of them.

Rufus Shinra sighed, and contemplated pouring himself another drink**.** Of course, he wouldn't be able to take his medication if he drank, but so what? To _hell _with it. Smiling grimly, Rufus transferred his empty glass to the desk, picked up the bottle of sherry, and chugged down a few gulps before he stopped, coughing, his eyes stinging and his left leg smarting like a _bitch_. The pain was deep and agonizing, completely beyond his ability to cope with or dim with alcohol. If he drank himself into a bloody _coma_, the pain would still be there. Taunting him.

_Thanks, Diamond Weapon. Thanks a lot. _

Still clutching the bottle of sherry, Rufus hobbled (Gods, _hobbled_, he hated it) back to the window and looked out, wondering when his trusty (Ha-freaking-ha-ha) Turks would return from their little trip.

Rufus ordered Reno, Rude and Elena on a survey mission near Gongaga Village two days ago. These expeditions were becoming increasingly common for the Turks, who had once served as spies and assassins, and now acted more or less as bodyguards and construction contractors. Funny. It never failed to impress Rufus how much things had changed. If his father (May the fat bastard rest in peace) could see him now, he'd likely be choking on the sword Sephiroth had rammed down his throat.

Times had changed. The planet had changed. Shinra Electric Power Company had changed along with them. Gone were the days of intimidation and underhanded policies, bread and circus methodology and trying to rule the world. Thanks to AVALANCHE, the wool had been pulled away from the eyes of the unsuspecting masses, and Shinra Electric Power Company had finally been revealed for the massive, planet-sucking parasite it was. The deaths of the company's top executives, the censure of public opinion, and the Meteor Crisis very nearly spelled doom for Shinra, but somehow, Rufus held his ailing company together, stubbornly refusing to see his legacy collapse around his ears.

Shinra was no longer a mega-conglomeration. The company had suffered quite a few fatal blows and a massive change in operations in the two years since Meteorfall, but it _lived_. Shinra Electric Power Company lived, and strangely enough, Rufus lived too, in spite of everything. He was a _tough _son of a bitch. Rufus didn't like to think that he had inherited anything from his father (Fat Bastard) other than his last name, but he had to admit that his toughness, his _iron backbone_, had come from none other than his dear old dad. His mother had certainly never been anything but a pushover (_I'm sorry Mother, it's true_). It would have been easy to let Shinra fail after Meteorfall, but Rufus had too much pride to simply slip into obscurity. This was _his _company, _his _responsibility, and Rufus would be _damned _before he saw it go to pieces.

Still, it was difficult for a very, very long time. Things had gotten better, but it was still…_difficult_. When the dust settled, Rufus had been faced with the monumental task of figuring out just how his company should reinvent itself. Mako Energy was no longer an option, and Shinra no longer had the trust of the people to back it up. Horrible events and unforeseen downsizing had left Shinra Company weak, a ghost of it's former self. In the end, Shinra Electric Power Company became Neo-Shinra Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to clean, planet-friendly energy and humanitarian projects.

His father (The fat bastard) would be _frothing_. Froth away, worthless asshole.

Contrary to popular belief, Rufus didn't mind the change.

He had always liked a challenge, and he figured that he and his company owed the Planet a huge debt. Perhaps it was vanity to think that he could change anything, but it was important to try, right?

_My leg…hurts._

Just…_try_.

_I want to scream. I hate this. I hate **everyone**__. _

Try. Try harder.

_Gods…it hurts…breathe. Just __**breathe **__Rufus. Breathebreathebreathebreathebreathe - _

Try, try, try.

_But it's so hard. _

His leg was his punishment, his reminder. It was the wound the planet had inflicted upon him so he would never, ever forgot. _The sins of the father are visited upon the son. _Gods, was he ever paying for his father's sins. Rufus raised the bottle of sherry to his lips and drank, while his left leg burned and throbbed. Rebuilt, just like Shinra. Hurting, just like Shinra.

It was cruelly fitting.

"Sir?"

Rufus turned slowly, lowering the bottle from his eager mouth and focusing his aquamarine eyes on the door of his dark and silent room. His head felt clouded and woozy, no doubt as a result of his sudden and intense boozing. With a weary sigh, Rufus slid the bottle under his desk, before running a shaking hand through his soft blond locks in a futile attempt to look halfway decent.

"Come in."

The door opened slowly, cautiously, and Tseng, the former commander of the Turks, poked his head in, his big, brown Wutainese eyes squinting in the gloom. Tseng retired from his position as Turk commander shortly after his last, ill-fated mission at the Temple of the Ancients. Even if he _hadn't _retired, his injuries ensured that he wouldn't have lasted much longer as a Turk. Like Rufus, Tseng had the wounds to prove that his sins had been paid in blood. Nowadays, Tseng served as Rufus' personal assistant, which usually consisted of making sure Rufus didn't overdose on his medication. Rufus used to think that Tseng was committing a slow but sure suicide by stepping down from his illustrious position and letting the talented but hotheaded Reno take over, just so he could baby-sit a grown man. Tseng obviously didn't share his president's rather low opinion. Even when Rufus grouched and snapped and acted every bit the spoiled brat he was, Tseng performed his new job with a quiet grace that often amazed Rufus.

He didn't know what he would do without Tseng.

"Sir, Reno and the others have returned." Tseng said, his low, calm voice filling the rain-drenched silence. "But they - "

"Step aside Tseng-ole-buddy-ole-pal, hot stuff coming through."

Tseng stepped aside, flicking on a nearby light switch as he did so. Reno, Rude and Elena immediately rushed in, all dripping blue suits, wet hair and bad attitude. Rufus groaned internally.

"What took you so long?" Rufus asked abruptly, failing to notice the wrapped bundle in Rude's arms. That is, until Rude brushed past his fellow Turks and made a beeline for Rufus' untouched bed, gingerly setting down his bundle.

"What do you think you're doing?" Rufus asked, incensed. "What the hell are you setting on my bed, _and what took you so long_?"

"_Jeeze_. Take a chill-pill, Boss." Reno drawled, earning himself a death-glare that would have made the baddest of bad-asses pee their pants. "In case you hadn't noticed, there's a storm outside. We had to fly slowly to avoid getting struck by lightning."

"And what a shame _that _would have been," Rufus growled, the combination of light and people and pain making him irritable. "I actually would have had to find _competent _people to work for me."

Tseng frowned at this, and Elena looked hurt, but Reno merely rolled his eyes and gave Rufus a droll stare. "Wow. _Ice_-burn. Rough night, Boss-man? Wanna talk about it?"

"Go shove something spiny up your ass, Reno," Rufus replied flatly, before glancing away from the red-headed Turk and glaring at the bundle on his bed. "What the hell is _that_?"

"Oh, that? Well…it's…"

"Sir, did you take your medication?" Tseng had somehow drifted near Rufus' desk, and was gazing down at a silver tray, complete with two tiny paper cups filled with small blue pills and a glass of clear water. All untouched.

"We found this girl in the woods -" Elena interjected suddenly.

"Girl? _Girl? _What girl?" Rufus asked incredulously.

"Shit Elena, I told you to let _me _do the talking. Do you ever shut up? Like, ever?" Reno hissed, sea-green eyes narrowed at the blond-haired woman.

"Don't start with me Reno. You weren't doing _shit_!" Elena screeched, her already-high voice rising to a dog-whistle pitch.

"Sir, the doctor expressly said you need to take your medicine two times a day."

"What girl? Is that the girl?" Rufus demanded, pinning Rude with yet another death-glare. Rude looked just about ready to melt behind his snazzy shades.

"How do you expect to get better if you don't take your medicine?" Tseng asked sharply, stubbornly picking a topic of conversation and sticking to it.

"Yeah, that's the girl. We used Full Cure on her in the 'copter but she still hasn't regained consciousness." Elena explained tiredly, smoothing her hands through her short, asymmetrical bob.

"Do you _think _I sent you out there to pick up strays?" Rufus demanded, irritation giving way all too easily to anger. "_Do _you? Is it too much to ask that you do a job _right _for once? Who is this girl and _why is she on my bed_?"

"Sir, I really think you should take your -"

"Tseng, say 'medication' one more time and I'm going to shoot you in your face." Rufus said darkly. Since Rude still hadn't said anything, Rufus quickly decided that he made as good a victim as any. "Tell me what happened. _Now_."

Rude's answer was concise. "…I was waiting in the helicopter."

"_And_?"

"…Reno and Elena found this girl in the woods on their way back. Apparently, she'd been attacked by some kind of Mako-creature."

Silence. Rufus resisted the urge to throw a screaming-fit. Talking to Rude was a lot like pulling teeth with rusty pliers and no anesthesia. "…And _then_?"

"She was still alive. Reno brought her back to the helicopter and I used Full Cure on her injuries. Like Elena said, she still hasn't regained consciousness."

"Nice. Somehow that still doesn't explain why she's in _my _house, on _my _bed. This isn't a free clinic, take her somewhere _else_. Do you people _work _at being incompetent, _useless_ wastes of energy or does the stupidity come naturally?" Rufus snarled, turning away from the dismal expressions of his Turks and angrily facing the window.

Silence.

A silence filled with hurt and anger.

Reno shot Elena an infuriated look, who suddenly seemed worn and tired. Her soulful brown eyes shifted toward the floor, apparently finding the hardwood more interesting than the current topic. Tseng was frowning darkly, but seemed unwilling or unable to say anything to lighten the plummeting mood. After a moment, Rude sighed and shook his head, before drawing himself up to his full six-feet-two inches.

"We _did _take her to the clinic," Rude said softly, speaking to Rufus' tense, white dress shirt-clad back. "Costa Clinic is small, and the doctor couldn't accept anymore patients. We brought her here because there was nowhere else to take her. This is the only bedroom in the house."

"Excuses. Do you ever get tired of making excuses, Rude?"

"You know, for someone who says they're all about humanitarian projects, you sure don't know jack-shit about empathy," Reno growled, unable to hold his tongue. "You're one cold piece of work, Boss. Don't worry, next time we find someone bleeding to death, we'll just _leave _them there. Or better yet, put a bullet in their goddamn heads, and kick their cold, dead corpse! I know it must _suck _to be you, to be inconvenienced for _one measly night _just to help someone-"

"_Reno_." Elena pleaded desperately.

"- in the morning you can have the _honor _of throwing her out on the street. I bet a selfish bastard like you would _love _it-"

"Reno." Rude speaking now, quietly, but just as desperate.

"-maybe you'd like it if we dumped her in some alley, to be _raped _by passing hobos; I bet you'd get a real kick out of that-"

"**Reno**."

"Just get out. All of you." Rufus said, his voice low and flat and deadly. "And Reno? Watch what you say to me. I'm not as forgiving as my father. You be can be a Turk or you can go back to the filthy slum you crawled out of. Your choice."

Reno's expression became dark and enraged, and he opened his mouth to say something, but Elena grabbed his arm and pulled him backward, out the door and into the hall. Rude followed immediately, pausing only to give Rufus a brief but deeply sorrowful look before closing the door behind him. Rufus listened to their footfalls recede into silence, and then it was just him and Tseng, who hadn't moved.

"I thought I told you to get out."

"Your behavior tonight was completely unacceptable."

"_Excuse _me?"

"Reno, Rude and Elena work hard, and they do a very good job, in spite of the stress and the stigma associated with the Turks." Tseng said, his voice deliberately patient. "Everything they do, they do with _you _in mind. They could have left you for dead in Midgar, but they didn't. Rude pulled you out of that inferno at the risk of his own life because he _cares_. Elena didn't have to watch over you in that hospital in Junon, when you were a broken, bloody mess, but she did, and guess what? She did it because she _cares_. Reno could have abandoned you countless times, but he didn't. Even _Reno _cares. They don't deserve the crap you give them, and I don't ever want to hear you talk to them like that again."

"I don't need-"

"Just listen for once, Rufus. I know you think you _know _it all, but allow me just a moment of your precious time. I don't know why you're so bitter at the world, but please, for your sake and for the sake of your company, _get over it_. Your bitterness will only destroy you in the end, and the people who care about you will eventually walk away."

"You don't know _anything_, Tseng. Don't you _dare _stand there and lecture me." Rufus hissed, trembling with fury. "I'm not a child, and I will not tolerate being treated as such."

"If you want to be treated as an adult, then act like an adult." Tseng said simply, dipping under Rufus' desk and extracting the bottle of sherry that Rufus _thought _had been safely hidden. Rufus watched incredulously as Tseng placed the liquor on the untouched silver tray with the untouched water and the untouched pills, before picking up the whole thing and heading staunchly for the door.

"And please take your medicine next time." Tseng tossed casually over his shoulder, "There are too many people in this world who can't afford to receive proper medical care, and it _irks _me when you sit back and throw this away."

"You washed-up, _ungrateful_-"

"Yes, yes." Tseng said wearily. "Goodnight to you too."

With that, he disappeared, closing the door swiftly behind him. Rufus clenched his jaw and forced himself to count backwards from twenty in order to avoid hurling insults into the emptiness. Gods, he was fuming, _fuming_. The sensible side of him knew that he was wrong, that he was out of line, but a larger part of him could only feel HATE HATE HATE and the sensible side knew that was a terrible way to feel but the larger part couldn't help it and Rufus felt _sicksicksick_ and his leg **burned **and he wanted to scream and cry at the same time.

No one understood. _No one_.

In a veritable orgasm of childishness, Rufus picked up his abandoned sherry glass and threw it against the wall, where it exploded into a thousand diamond-dust fragments of glass and droplets of liquor.

It didn't make him feel any better.

It left a huge mess.

It seemed that was all he was capable of these days.

…_Damn it. _

On his bed, someone moaned.

Rufus trained his eyes on the small bundle marring the beauty of his expensive, imported quilts, and his eyes narrowed. He had forgotten all about the mysterious girl that his Turks had rescued and then dumped on his doorstep. To think that he wouldn't be able to sleep in his own bed was the final straw, and Rufus strode forward (Well, let's be honest, _limped _forward) with a sneer marring the natural attractiveness of his youthful features. He reached the edge of his bed and leaned down, pulling back the blanket that covered the girl's head and shoulders. For the briefest second, Rufus felt bad about doing this, but he stubbornly shoved any feelings of hesitation under his mental rug.

This was, after all, _his _bed. Who knew what sort of germs this girl had? She could be spreading all manner of disgusting sicknesses into his three-hundred thread count _duvet _covers. More _importantly_, he deserved to know whether or not she looked like a chocobo's rear end.

_Stupid ugly comatose whore probably got knocked over the head for her stash of pot - _

Rufus' angry mental rant halted immediately when he caught his first glimpse of her.

His heart, which had been beating steadily in his chest, suddenly began to pound. He felt an amazing wave of shock and awe and just…couldn't stand up anymore. Rufus eased down on the bed beside the girl, the fiery pain in his leg momentarily forgotten. His questing fingers took on a mind of their own, pulling down the blanket so his eyes could get a better look.

She was young, this girl. If Rufus had to guess, he would have placed her at eighteen or nineteen, certainly no older than twenty. Shoulder-length chocolate-brown hair fell across her face and over her shoulders, framing a heart-shaped face of perfect, sun-kissed skin. Her full lips were parted slightly, allowing whisper-soft snores to escape with each breath she took. Her short, cute nose was slightly upturned, but it lent her face character rather than ugliness. There was nothing _ugly _about her. She was lovely. An angel.

Rufus reached forward and brushed a few wayward locks away from her face, marveling at the way her long eyelashes kissed her cheeks. She was obviously Wutainese; it showed in the shape of her eyes and her delicate bone structure. Rufus' hands wandered away from her hair and glided slowly down the side of her face, before he snatched away, feeling like a dirty, rotten pervert.

_Why am I acting like this? She's just some girl. _

To prove that she was 'just some girl', Rufus stood up and limped over to his bookshelf, firmly making up his mind to sit at his desk and read. His heart was still beating much, much too fast for his comfort, and as Rufus settled behind his desk with his choice tome in hand, he couldn't stop his eyes from drifting, his mind from questioning.

_I wonder when she's going to wake up. _

Quickly followed by: _Damn it, I should have taken my meds. _


	4. Second Meetings

**Chapter Four: Second Meetings**

Yuffie awoke to an alien world of white linen and hazy morning sunshine. It took her eyes a few minutes to adjust to the light, her sluggish brain an even longer time to register that the big white blob she was staring at was a pillow. She was lying on her side in a strange bed, swathed in a quilt so warm and soft and thick that it almost seemed unreal. Yuffie blinked slowly, and tried to lift her head. A pain raced across her temples at the slightest movement, and Yuffie immediately relaxed, bracing herself for what was sure to be one whopper of a headache. Her big brown eyes darted right and left, taking in her strange surroundings with a pounding heart and a jumble of confused thoughts.

Gone was the cold, dark forest and the monster who had mauled her. In its place was a spacious room, outfitted with the most beautiful décor Yuffie had ever seen. The walls were a soft beige color, painted with some kind subtle floral design. To her right was a huge window, half-covered by delicate white curtains. Beyond the window, all Yuffie could discern of the outside world were the tops of palms trees, their green fronds swaying violently in the wind, and a turbulent slate-gray sky. It was raining, and Yuffie was glad she in in here instead of out there, even if she didn't know exactly where _here _was.

Yuffie used her elbows to push herself into a sitting position, gritting her teeth against the pain in her head. The elegance of the room was astounding. A fireplace lay embedded in the wall opposite the bed, lending the entire room warmth and coziness. Above the fireplace was a mantel, made entirely out of rich, dark marble. Resting atop the mantel were pictures in silver frames of all sizes, snapshots of an impossibly gorgeous blond-haired woman, and a small blond-haired boy. The floors were hardwood, and had been polished so often that they gleamed like mirrors. Rugs rested on the floor, intricate works of art all unto themselves. Yuffie didn't know the first thing about rugs, but she could look at these and tell that they were expensive, just like everything else in this strange room. The tables, dressers and nightstands were all carved out of stone-wood (For Leviathan's sake, Yuffie couldn't afford _stone-wood _and she was freaking _royalty_), imported from Bone Village. Directly under the huge window was a desk, spotless except for a few blank sheets of paper and a crystal vase filled with white and red roses. Everywhere she looked, there was something else to gawk at, something else to make Yuffie wonder just where the hell _was _she. The room had a _chandelier_, not just a light bulb or a ceiling-fan like most people had (Hell, she had paper lanterns in _her _room), but _a freaking chandelier _(Okay, so it was small, simple and elegant just like everything else; but _still_).

The color scheme was too neutral for Yuffie's taste; all beige and white or brown with just the tiniest splashes of eye-popping color. Yuffie suddenly became aware of a soft, sweet scent, and realized that it was emanating from the bouquet of white and yellow roses resting in vase on a small table to Yuffie's right, close to the bed. Yuffie sat up a little higher, and the quilt covering her body slipped down around her waist.

"The _hell_?! What happened to my _clothes_?!"

Yuffie was naked except for her bra and panties, and she hastened to cover herself, her cheeks flushed from embarrassment and anger. This was starting to get a little scary. Her head was fuzzy, her limbs were stiff and unresponsive and she was practically nude in a strange bed. If it wasn't one damned thing, it was another.

_Maybe…Vincent saved me after I lost conscious. Maybe this is a hotel, and any second now he's going to come waltzing through that door, all nonchalant like nothing ever happened. _

Maybe. Yuffie seriously doubted it, though. After the way Vincent had treated her, Yuffie would bet her life savings on the fact that the gunslinger wouldn't have bothered to come save her. After all, this whole incident was her own damned fault. She was stupid…she was…so…_stupid_…

Yuffie's chest tightened, and she clutched the quilt closer to her body with shaking fists, wondering if this pain would ever end. Probably it would, but the memories would always be there. A testament to a time when Yuffie was so naïve she believed a man like Vincent Valentine could find it in himself to love a scrawny little no-tits nobody like herself. _Gawds_. Yuffie was so stupid she didn't even know when she was completely and hopelessly out of her league.

Boy, had she been _waaaaaayyyyyy _out of her league.

_Well, on the bright side, I've either been kidnapped by garden gnomes with good taste…or I'm in a high-class whorehouse. In which case I'm no longer a virgin, and I was too out-of-it to remember. Holy-moldy crap, this is SO going down as the worst week of my life. _

Yuffie heard a footstep, directly behind her.

Panic seized the young ninja, and her eyes darted left and right, looking for an escape. There was none, except for maybe the window, and the prospect of leaping out of a window into the pouring rain wearing only her underwear struck Yuffie as exactly the sort of thing she should _avoid_. Yuffie watched the closed bedroom door with wide brown eyes filled with fright, listening to the footsteps come closer and closer.

_Oh hell! _

Yuffie flopped back down on the bed a split second before the door opened. Her heart was pounding crazily in her chest, and her eyes were squeezed shut much too tightly, but she couldn't force herself to relax. Yuffie listened to the footsteps as they drifted about the room, her entire body as stiff as a board. If she felt even the _slightest _touch, Yuffie was going to spring into action. She was a master of the shuriken, but Yuffie could also be quite the martial artist when push came to shove.

Yuffie listened and waited…and waited. Nothing. The footsteps just sort of stopped, and Yuffie came to the upsetting conclusion that the person had either taken a seat or was standing still. Gathering up her meager reserves of courage, Yuffie cracked open an eye and glanced around without moving her head. A man was standing in the room, by the fireplace, his back to her. _Crap_.

_Okay, Yuffie. __**Think**__. You've been in worse jams before. _

Except she hadn't, at least not like _this_. In all her previous scrapes, Yuffie had always been armed and prepared and _clothed_. Yuffie watched the man pick up one of the many pictures on the mantel and study it for a while, before setting it back in place and picking up another. The man was tall and blond, dressed in white slacks and a white dress shirt. Yuffie watched him do this for nearly ten minutes, and she got sick of it after about two.

_Crap, I don't see any way out of this without things getting messy. Okay. I'll just…sit up and let him know that I'm awake. After all, he did rescue me from the woods…maybe things aren't as bad as they seem. _

Praying that things really _weren't _as bad as they seemed, Yuffie slowly and soundlessly sat up, clutching the quilt to her body for dear life. The man didn't hear her. He didn't turn around.

"Uh…" Yuffie began, her voice cracked and whisper-soft. Nervously, she licked her lips and began again. "Hey…uh…_you_."

The man practically jumped out of his skin (Which would have been really funny under other circumstances) and whirled around, an expression of shock on his face.

_Whoa. _

To say that this man was merely _handsome _would have been the understatement of the year. He was drop-dead gorgeous, in a highly refined, aristocratic way. His blond locks were the exact same shade as Cloud's, but instead of Cloud's wild spikes, his were neatly and conservatively groomed. A few unruly strands fell over his eyes, lending the man a slightly boyish look. Everything, from his strong jaw line to his fine nose and graceful brow screamed _pretty-boy _at the highest decibel, but it was his _eyes_, Gawds, Yuffie had never seen eyes so penetratingly beautiful, except for perhaps Vincent's. This man's eyes were a lovely shade of aquamarine, luminous as gemstones.

He seemed vaguely…_familiar_.

"You're awake." The man said, smiling just the tiniest bit. "How do you feel?"

Yuffie didn't answer right away. She had about a zillion questions swirling around in her head, including the ever-clichéd _"Where am I?" _but she couldn't quite get over the fact that she was missing a few articles of clothing. Finally, Yuffie asked the question closest to her heart.

"…did we have sex?"

The man looked absolutely flabbergasted (Which, again, would have been really funny under other circumstances) and stared at her for a moment before answering her question with a question. Man, Yuffie really _hated _when people did that.

"Excuse me?'

"…answer the question. Did we have sex?"

"…No."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive…"

"…I'm missing my shirt and shorts…I'm laying in what I presume to be _your _bed…"

"We _didn't_."

"…Okay. I suppose." _Guess I'm still a virgin. Hooray for me. _

Silence. The most awkward silence _ever_, which was saying a lot, because Yuffie had shared quite a few of those in her time. The man just keep staring at her, with a mix of curiosity, disbelief, annoyance and droll amusement. Yuffie stared right back. It was starting to bother her just how familiar this man was, and then it _clicked_.

"Holy crap, I _know _you."

The man looked surprised, and arched a brow at her. "Do you?"

"Hell _yeah_. You're Rufus Shinra, aren't you? I would know that smug, aristocratic, my-shit-doesn't-stink attitude anywhere." Yuffie said, growing excited. "Don't you _recognize _me? It's me, Yuffie!"

Rufus blinked, unsure of what to make of this lively slip of a girl - Young woman, actually. She had scared him nearly to death a moment ago, irritated him with her inane questions about sex, and now she was claiming to know him, and what's more, that _he _should know _her_ too. Rufus searched the depths of his mind, and came back with nothing. There was no way he could have known her. Rufus liked to think that he would remember someone like _her_.

_She must be mistaken, _Rufus thought, trying desperately not to get sucked into the smile she was flashing him, and failing miserably. It was a _lovely _smile. _Maybe she's confused…_

But the girl - Yuffie - seemed so sure.

"I'm sorry," Rufus said finally, "I don't remember you."

Yuffie frowned at him, her brown eyes flashing dangerously. "I'm _Yuffie Kisaragi_, you moron. I'm a member of AVALANCHE. We've _met _before. Remember? At the Northern Crater? When Cloud went all crazy and gave Sephiroth the Black Materia? You picked us all up in the Highwind."

"I remember _that_, but I don't remember _you_."

"I'm the freaking _princess _of Wutai! How can you not remember _me_?" Yuffie practically screeched, reaching the limits of her annoyance. "I know it was a terrible situation back then, but come _on_…"

"I'm sorry…Yuffie." Rufus managed to murmur.

Yuffie stared at him in disgust for a moment, before rolling her eyes and glancing out the window. "Fine, fine, what-_ever_. Don't get your panties in a bunch over it. I forgive you for not remembering someone as fabulous as me. It _was _sort of brief, and you were probably distracted by Tifa's monstrous boobs. Either that, or you couldn't see me past them."

_Another _awkward silence. Rufus just didn't know what to make of this girl. He didn't doubt her story, but the fact that his Turks had picked up a member of AVALANCHE (And a cute one, at that) and dumped her on his bed seemed like too much unbelievable coincidence. Cloud…Tifa…Barret…Cid…he remembered them all, the people who had single-handedly saved the planet and exposed Shinra. Even after all this time, Rufus was unsure how he felt about that. On one hand, they had succeeded where he had failed…but on the other, Rufus _hated _to fail. Rufus gazed at Yuffie, clutching his quilt to her chest and looking somberly out the window, and felt a surge of feelings as confusing as they were unwanted. His head felt strangely clouded, and his body was irresistibly drawn to her, like he had never been toward any other woman. _This can't be happening. Stop it, Rufus. Stop acting like this, NOW. _

"What were doing out in the woods by yourself?" Rufus asked slowly, drifting closer to the bed.

Yuffie shrugged. "Sightseeing."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, _really_." Yuffie snapped, turning to face him once more, her eyes narrowed into daggers of defiance. Rufus wisely choose not to push the issue.

"Well, your little _sightseeing _trip didn't end as planned." Rufus replied dryly. "My Turks rescued you from a mako-monster-"

"Turks?" Yuffie perked up. "Like, RenoRudeElena Turks?"

"Those are the only ones I know of-"

"Are they here, too? Where is _here_, exactly?"

"Yes they are, and _here _is Costa Del Sol." Rufus answered calmly.

Yuffie took a moment to digest this. Costa Del Sol was…so _far _from Cosmo Canyon. Even farther for a person who had no clothes, no money, no weapons and no Materia to speak of. Crap, crap, _crap_. When Yuffie got herself into a bad situation, she _really _dug in.

_I may as well accept the fact that it's going to be a while before I catch up with Vincent, _Yuffie thought forlornly_. Honestly, I wasn't looking forward to seeing him again anyway. So. Where does that leave me? I have absolutely nothing, going home is SO not an option and my backup supplies are at Tifa and Cloud's place in Kalm. I could get there pretty easily, but without any money…_

Then an idea occurred to Yuffie, so ludicrous that it just HAD to work.

Yuffie looked up at Rufus, and to her surprise, found that he was staring at her. Pretty damned _intently_. All at once, Yuffie became uncomfortably aware of just how gorgeous he was, and that she was lying in his bed nearly in the buff. His eyes were so sharp that Yuffie felt deeply exposed, as if there was nothing she could do to stop him from learning all her secrets.

What a _weirdo_.

"Take a picture, it'll _last _longer." Yuffie grumbled, pulling the quilt up around her bare shoulders.

Silence. No reply.

"…So my sightseeing trip ended early due to unforeseen circumstances." Yuffie began, nervous as hell. Why didn't he stop _staring _at her? "So I'm now forced to reconnoiter at my friends' place in Kalm. Except I sort of lost my vast amounts of cash in a gambling incident at Gold Saucer…"

More silence. More staring.

"…and I was sort of wondering if you would be so kind as to…take me to Kalm? I'll _pay _you!" Yuffie said earnestly. "_Honest _I will!"

The silence continued. Rufus raised a brow at her, looking deeply bored.

"…so, it's not money you want? Okay…you seem like you have shit-loads of it anyway." Yuffie said tiredly. "So how about I…make you an honorary citizen of Wutai? I can do that, you know. I'm the princess. I think I mentioned that."

Rufus yawned.

"Not interested? I don't blame you. It's a touristy crap-hole of a country anyway. So how about I bake you a cake or…introduce you to some of my loose friends? No? I can _totally _tell you Tifa's bra size."

Rufus absent-mindedly scratched the back of his neck. He wasn't even _looking _at her anymore.

"Okay, okay! So…why don't…why don't I…" Yuffie stammered, thoroughly desperate by now. "Why don't…why don't you and me go out? On a date? TWO dates!"

Rufus perked up at that. Yuffie wasn't sure, but she thought she detected a smug little smile on his face. "…I accept."

"Huh? What do you accept? Taking me to Kalm or the dates?" Yuffie asked, her heart pounding in her ears.

"Both. I'll take you to Kalm, and in exchange you'll go out on date with me. _Twice_." Rufus said coolly, crossing the length of the room to stand at the foot of the bed. Yuffie blinked. "Agreed?"

"Well…ah…agreed." Yuffie said slowly, wondering just what the _heck _she'd gotten herself in to. "Two dates. Two…_dates_. I can do that…sure. No problem. No _problem _at all."

Rufus smirked, and walked around the bed toward the door. "…I'll have one of my servants bring you something decent to wear, and then you can come down to breakfast. I'm sure the Turks will be delighted to realize who it was they saved."

Then Rufus was gone, and Yuffie was left alone once again, battling a feeling of impending doom. It was just a couple of dates, right?

What could _possibly _go wrong?

* * *

The rain had washed away all trace of her.

If Vincent could have kicked himself, he would have. Instead, he crouched by the dead, mutated monster, getting thoroughly soaked. His luminous red eyes burned with quiet intensity and deep self-loathing. He should have _forced _her to come with him. He should have never let Yuffie out of his sight.

_If something terrible has happened to her, if she's dead, I'll never forgive myself. One more sin atop a mountain of so many. It seems all I'm capable of is hurting the people I care about. _

Did he care about Yuffie? Vincent had finally admitted to himself that he did. A _lot_. He didn't love her (He told himself that he didn't, he _couldn't_)but he cared about her. She was his ally…his…_friend_. The last thing he wanted was to see her come to any harm.

Vincent stood slowly, gazing down at the monster with silent disgust. It was riddled with gunshots, it's dark fur matted with blood as thick and putrid as paste. Clutched between the sharp metal digits of Vincent's claw was a scrap of cloth, Yuffie's bandana. It was all that remained of her. The silent forest offered no answers, no clues. What might have been obvious before had been washed away by the drops falling steadily from the heavens. Even the dead creature seemed to silently mock him.

Vincent turned and headed quickly and purposefully through the forest, unheeded by the rain. If Yuffie was alive, he would find her. He _had _to. He had to…apologize for acting so callously toward her. He had only done so because she deserved better than what he had to offer.

_I'll find you, Yuffie. _


End file.
